Cigarette receptacle and ash tray



y 1, 1956 R. F. ENDERS 2,756,895

CIGARETTE RECEPTACLE AND ASH TRAY Filed NOV. 27. 1953 m INVENTOR.

9 J Edge/"2 E 4970 6/15 United States Patent '0 CIGARETTE RECEPTACLE AND ASH TRAY Robert F. Enders, Racine, Wis.

Application November 27, 1953, Serial No. 394,749

1 Claim. (Cl. 220-18) This invention relates to cigarette receptacles and ashtrays of the type to be fastened to the wall surface of a vehicle.

An object of the invention is to provide a cigarette receptacle and ashtray which embodies in a single container a place for a supply of cigarettes ready for use, a place for the deposit of ashes, and a place for the disposal and automatic snufling-out of the butts of smoked cigarettes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cigarette receptacle and ashtray which is easily emptied of accumulated ashes and easily cleaned.

Another object of the invention is to provide a cigarette receptacle and ashtray which may be fastened at any point to suit a users convenience upon an appropriate wall surface.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear in the course of the following description considered in conjunction with the attached drawing in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of one form of the receptacle and tray of the present invention.

Figure 2 is a plan view of the assembly of Figure 1 on an enlarged scale.

Figure 3 is a plan view of the assembly of Figure 2 with the detachable upper portion removed.

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4--4 of Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a side elevational view of an alternative form of the receptacle and tray of the present invention.

Figure 6 is a sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of Figure 5.

Figure 7 is a side elevational view of another alternative form of the receptacle and tray of the present invention.

Figure 8 is a sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of Figure 7, partially broken away.

Referring now to the drawing in more detail, numeral 9 designates generally a base of the receptacle and tray of the present invention, including a flat plate 10. Numeral 11 designates an upstanding ashtray structure having its lower end resting upon the base 9.

The structure 11 embodies a plurality of supporting elements 12, each comformably shaped to embracingly receive a cigarette. The elements 12 are arranged in the form of a cluster with a space 13 centrally thereof, for forming an ash receiving opening.

On the base 9 and releasably engaging the adjacent portions of the structure 11, are means for retaining the structure in position on the base. The base 9 also carries a magnetic holding element 14 for detachably supporting the ashtray on a wall surface.

Specifically, in the form of the invention shown in Figures 1, 2, 3, and 4, the base 9 includes, in addition to the plate 10, an upstanding wall 15 extending about the boundary of the plate 10, and having its upper portion 16 set in slightly to form a shoulder 17. The ashtray structure 11 consists of two parts. The first ashtray structure section 18 is slidably embraced by the wall 15 and comprises an open ended, fluted casing, each fluting 19 conformably shaped to embracingly receive a cigarette. The second ashtray structure section 20 surmonuts the wall 15 and comprises a horizontally disposed plate 21 having a central aperture 22 and a downwardly extending flange 23 about its outer boundary, and a second downwardly extending flange 24 about the edge surrounding the aperture22. The flange 23 embracingly engages the set-in portion 16 and seats upon the shoulder 17. Projecting through the plate 21 is a plurality of supporting tubes 25, each conformably shaped to receive a cigarette, arranged in the form of a cluster with a space, the aperture 22, centrally thereof. The tubes 25 are in registry with the flutings 19 and the two together constitute the supporting elements 12. The aperture 22 is in registry with the space intermediate the flutings 19 to constitute the ash receiving opening 13. The magnetic holding element 14, consisting of a bar magnet, is secured exteriorly of the wall 15 by means of a screw 26. A cigarette rest 27 is carried by the plate 21.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 5 and 6, base 9 includes, in addition to the plate 10, an upstanding flange 28, extending about the boundary of the plate 10. The ashtray structure 11, supported upon the plate 10 and having its lower portion embraced by the flange 28, comprises a plurality of upstanding supporting tubes or supporting elements 12, each conformably shaped to receive a cigarette. The tubes 12 are arranged in the form of a cluster with a space 13 centrally thereof forming an ash receiving opening. The magnetic holding element 14 consists of a bar magnet secured to the upper end of a standard 29 by means of a screw 30, the lower end of the standard being secured to the flange 28.

In the form of the invention shown in Figures 7 and 8, the base 9 includes, in addition to the plate 10, a slideway 31 carried upon a pair of opposed marginal portions of the plate 10.

The slideways 31 are formed by the turning upwardly and inwardly of the appropriate marginal portions of in plate 10. The ashtray structure 11 is the same as that described in the foregoing paragraph, except that it has an outstanding flange 32 secured along the lower end of each of a pair of opposed sides of the structure 11, which flanges 32 are slidably embraced in the sideways 31. A standard 33 is carried by the plate 10 and a magnetic holding element, or bar magnet, 14 is secured to the upper portion of the standard 33 by means of a screw 34.

In all forms of the invention the depth of the supporting elements 12 is less than the length of a cigarette.

The receptacle and ashtray of the present invention may be attached by means of the magnetic element 14 at any point, to suit the convenience of the user, upon the dashboard of a vehicle or any other metallic wall surface. A supply of cigarettes ready for use may be deposited in the elements 12. Inasmuch as these elments are not as long as a cigarette, the upper end of the cigarette will project from the elements 12 and may be grasped by the user. As a cigarette is smoked, the ashes may be deposited in the central space 13 and the cigarette may be put out of hand upon the rest 27. When the cigarette has been smoked, the butt may be deposited in any of the elements 12 which are vacant, where it will be quickly snuffed out for lack of air. When it becomes desirable to clean the ashtray, the structure 11 is removed from the base 9, in which condition the ashes may be easily dumped and both parts may be washed.

What is claimed is:

A cigarette receptacle and ashtray comprising a flat base; means rigid with the base for securing the same in a'horizontal plane to and adjacent a vertical supporting surface; and a cluster of fixedly connected tubes formed open at their opposite ends, said tubes projecting upwardly from the base and said base closing the lower ends of the tubes, the tubes being arranged about and defining a vertical, ash-receiving center space open at its top and closed at its bottom by said base, said base being formed, at the opposite sides thereof, *with slideways faced inwardly toward one another, said cluster of tubes including, at its lower-end, outwardly'facing flanges slidably engaged within the slideways, said slideways and flanges extending substantially in the plane of the base, for movement of the cluster of tubes onto and off of the base through a path parallelling said plane.

UNITED STATES PATENTS Sherman Dec. 10, 1940 SchWisoW Feb. 8, 1949 Baker Oct. 27, 1874 Armstrong Nov. 15, 1932 Kossovic May 9, 1950 Lerner Feb. 12, 1952 Jones Aug. 5, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS France May 24, 1932 

